Printing-machine



W. L. THOMPSON. PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. 1919.

1,360, 155. Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

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Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

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Elwuwwboz L.- 17201305010 /vHmaoo 61 UNITED STATES PIATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LOVE THOMPSON, 0F GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

PRINTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed February 26, 1919 ,Serial No. 279,315. Divided and this application filed June 30, 1919. Serial No. 307,543.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLI M Lovn THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greenville, in the county of Washington and Stateof Mississippi, have invented new and useful {Improvements in 'PrintingMachines, of which the following is a specification. y I

This invention relates; to printing machines and has particular reference to that class of printing machines adapted to be used in printing the names and addresses of consignees upon shipping-tags.

A further object is to provide a novel automatic means for intermittently supplying a suitable printing fluid to the type or prlnting characters employed.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character mentioned, having its various cooperating elements so constructed and arranged with respect to each other as to insure accuracy and reliability during the operation of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

This application isa division of my application filed February 26, 1919 ,for printing machines, Serial Number 279,315.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred form of my invention the numeral 10 indicates a base carrying an upright frame member 11 and a supporting member 44 having secured between their upper ends a head 12. I prefer to construct the base 10 hollow in order to receive therein a coil spring not shown from which power to operate the machine is derived. The type wheel 21 is provided with a plurality of T-shaped type slots 23 adapted to receive loosely therein a plural.- ity of type 24. For each type slot or row of type I provide a reciprocating plunger 25. To the outer end of the plunger 25 is secured a head 28 provided with a character, which character corresponds with the characters of the type 24 carried by its adjacent type slot.

To the outer end of the shaft of the wheel there is detachably secured a crank 30, this crank being adapted to wind the spring from which power is derived for operating the various cooperating elements.

As a means for pre\*enting excessive speed of rotation of the wheel 21 I prefer to employ a brake mechanism indicated as a whole at 31. This brake mechanism comprises a plunger 32 seated within a slot 33, the plunger 32 being free to reciprocate therein and having its outer end normally engaging the inner face of the wheel 21. A. slot 34 is provided within. the plunger 32 and adapted to receive therein a tapered key 35. By forcing the key inwardly it is apparent that the plunger 32 will be forced downwardly against the face of the wheel. During the operation of the device as the tension of the driving spring is released the tapered pin 35. may be gradually withdrawn to partially relieve the braking effect of the plunger 32 upon theface of the wheel 21. In practice it might be found that a different form of brake is more suitably adapted for this purpose than that which I have shown and described herein, the braking mechanism shown and described herein be ing intended only as an illustrative show ing. By releasing the pressure of the plungen 32 upon the face of the wheel 21 as the tension of the spring 13 is gradually decreased I am enabled to govern the speed ofrotation of the wheel 21 during the type setting-up operation or the printing operation.

Between the upright member 11. and the supporting member '44 there are journaled a pair of removable ink ribbons carrying spools 45 and 46 carrying inking ribbon 47 adapted to be intermittently moved as will be hereinafter described. Upon pins 48 and 49 there are journaled respectively ratchet wheels 50 and 51. The pins 48 and 49 are provided respectively with tapered ends 52 and 53 adapted to enter depressions carried in the ends of the spools, which depressions are arranged centrally within the ends of the spools as is apparent. The ratchet wheels are provided with looking pins 54 and 55 adapted to enter depressions carried by the spools 45 and 46 respectively. These pins are, as is apparent, adapted to lock the ratchet wheels against rotation with respect to the rollers or vice versa when the spools are being rotated through the instrumentality of the ratchet wheels 50 and 51.

The spools 45 and 46 are provided at their other ends with depressions 55 and 56 respectively which are adapted to receive ends of plungers 57 and 58, these plungers being urged inwardly by means of coil springs 59 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that each of the plungers is provided with a head 60 normally seated flush with the face of the depending member 44 within a counterbore 61. The heads 60 are inset in order to prevent interference with the feeding of the tags during the printing operation as will more fully be appreciated upon further study of the drawings taken in connection with the specification and described operation of the machine. The inking ribbon 17 as clearly shown in Fig.1 passes over a pair of guide rollers 62 which are journaled between the upright member 11 and the supporting member 4A. These rollers are adapted to be removed and are provided at one end with spring pressed plungers, these plungers being substantially identical to the plungers 57 and 58 hereinbefore described.

Within the head 12 there is slidably mounted an operating plunger 64 provided with a head 65. This plunger is normally retained in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a coil spring not shown. To the lower end of the plunger 64 there is connected a stamping head .69, the stamping head carrying upon its upright face a bracket 70 to which is pivotally connected a pawl 71 adapted to engage the teeth of In the position shown in Fig. 1 the pawl 71 is adapted to engagethe teeth of ratchet wheel 51 to rotate the spool 46 in such a direction as to cause a winding up of the inking ribbon 47 'upon the spool 46, the inking ribbon being at the same time unwound from the spool 45. In the position of the pawl 71,

shown in Fig. 1, the movement of this pawl is limited by a stationary pin 72 and a removable pin *73. By removing the pin the:

73 and swinging the pawl 71 about its pivotal connection as an axis to its position shown by the dotted line in Fig. 1, the reverse movement of the ratchet wheels and 51 is brought about during the operation of the device, the ribbon 17 being wound upon the spool 4-5 and at the same time unwound from spool 46. In this position the movement of the pawl 71 is limited by a stationary pin 72' identical with that shown at 72 and the removable pin 73.

The card feeding mechanism shown in Fig. 2 and designated in general by the numerals 81", 81 and 123 is described and claimed in my original Patent No. 1,331,597 for print ing machines, and therefore a detail description of these parts is deemed unnecessary, the present application being restricted to the ink ribbon feed.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

The combination with a printing machine including a frame and a reciprocable printing head, of a pair of rollers journaled in the frame upon opposite sides of the printing head and between which the head is reciprocable, an inking sheet adapted to be wound from one roller to the other, a ratchet wheel fixed to each of the rollers, a. dog pivoted directly to one side of the printing head, a pair of pins carried by the printing head and arranged at opposite sides of the pivoted end of the dog to hold the dog at an angular position to either side of the printing head to engage the ratchet wheel of either roller upon upward movement of the printing head.

WILLIAM LOVE THOMPSON. 

